Church leader urges vote on moving Lenin's body

A Russian Orthodox church official has suggested that a referendum should decide the fate of Vladimir Lenin's body, news agencies reported.

Metropolitan Kirill said: "From the point of view of Christians, Jews or Muslims, each dead person should be buried." The question, he said, deserved "political analysis, consultation with the main political forces, possibly requiring a referendum".

Two government officials said recently that Lenin should be removed from Red Square, drawing protests from Communists. Lenin himself said he wanted to be buried next to his mother in St Petersburg.